Keith
by StarkLovesShawarma
Summary: It's been a few weeks since Nick had met his three teammates, and now they were being flown to saftey. Nick has aquired an attachment to Ellis, but when Keith ends up being a surviror, Nick is furious with envy. Rated M: language, sexual content.
1. Southern Survivors

**Finally, I get around to writing an EllisNick story! I've been reading around and I haven't found any stories with my plot yet, so I figured I'd write it! (Sorry if I haven't seen your story and took your plot :S) but anyway, lemme just say the first paragraph is not mine, it was taken from the official Valve character bio of Nick, just to clear that up. Hope yall like this! I don't own anything you recognize.**

A lifetime of drifting from city to city, finding back-alley card games and trying to stay out of jail has taught Nick two valuable lessons: Don't trust anyone, and look out for number one.

Those two lessons were what Nick had lived by ever since he knew right from wrong. That is... until he met the three most amazing people he would ever know.

It had all started one sunny southern morning as Nick boarded a gambling riverboat in Savannah, Georgia. Dressed sharply in his white Armani suit, he was determined to con a few hicks out of some cold hard cash. Taking a seat at the bar, his eyes drifted to the suspended television to his left after ordering his drink. Lighting a cigarette, he listened closely as a beautiful, African-American woman appeared on the screen.

"I'm standing in the center of Savannah, Georgia in front of Trinity Memorial Hospital which is quickly filling to capacity. An outbreak of what scientists are calling the Green Flu has now drifted from the northern states to the south. People suffering from this illness are showing what can only be described as 'an extreme case of rabies.' The symptoms of the Green Flu start as any other normal flu, but progressively become worse. The skin will begin to turn a grey color, and in some cases, flesh and even limbs will start to deteriorate and fall off. Many of the victims will turn violent, attacking and mauling anyone within reach. If you witness anyone with these symptoms, please call CEDA's Georgia station at 1-912-122-1789. I'm Rochelle Aytes for Cleveland's Eyewitness 10 News."

Nick's lips pursed around his cigarette as he took in a deep drag of smoke. He wondered why in God's name they would even let a gambling boat travel under the city's pandemic. Chuckling to himself, Nick turned back to the bartender, and retrieved his drink. Taking his lips to the glass, the boat suddenly gave a violent shift, causing the scotch to spill from the glass, onto Nick's suit. "Damnit!" He shouted out, the brown liquid staining his expensive suit. Everyone's attention was immediately turned to screams that broke through the main gambling area. Nick sprung from his stool and ran out of the bar, to see a rabid man ripping through the poker tables. His skin was grey, and half of his face was decayed off, revealing his skull, just like that news reporter had described. "Holy shit!" Nick screamed as he made a mad attempt to run for the exit. Luckily, the mutant didn't take notice to Nick, and he escaped. Reaching the ledge of the boat, Nick looked out to see they had only traveled about half a mile from the docks. Reluctantly, he decided to leap into the dark, warm water, and swim to shore.

After Nick had pulled himself onto the dock, he made a break for any refuge he could find. All around town the zombie-like people were destroying buildings, running rampid, and devouring their fellow human beings. The conman had never seen anything as gruesome in his entire life.

"Hey man! Over here!" Nick heard a voice yell from his left as he stopped on his heels and turned. A younger man with a white and blue baseball cap on his head was motioning for Nick to join him in a building. Ignoring his better judgement, Nick hustled himself to the broken down building and ran into the small room. The younger man hastily slammed the giant metal door shut, bringing the large door stopper down across it. Nick stood in the middle of the room, doubled over and gasping for breath. A hand appeared in front of his face. As he looked up, the young man was offering the gambler his hand. Taking his offer, the man helped Nick straighten up.

"Thanks man, I owe you one." Nick heaved out.

"No problem! My names Ellis!" The hazel eyed boy smiled with a cheery look. Nick hesitantly studied the man. His accent was dripping with southern hospitality. His clothing was common, Nick thought, possibly lower class. A dingy yellow shirt tightly formed around his chest. The short sleeves revealed a dark blue tribal tattoo running down his toned right arm. An over-sized, dark blue jumper covered the southerner's legs, letting the upper part hang around his waist. His skin was tan and greasy. Nick inquired that he must have been some sort of mechanic.

"Nick." He sternly said as Ellis shook his hand.

"Damn man, you 'ere doggin it down that street! It reminded me of this one time, me 'n my buddy Keith 'ere runnin' from the cops an..."

**_------ _**

Nick let out a strenuous sigh of relief. After weeks of killing off thousands of zombie mutants, he and his three teammates were boarded on a CEDA helicopter, flying to safety. The air vehicle had picked them up in New Orleans, and was now flying the four back to where it all began. Savannah. He had remembered the day he had met the three all too well. But most of all, he recalled meeting Ellis quite clearly. The southerner had been the first of the three Nick had met, and he had basically saved his ass. Over the past few weeks, Nick had heard a life time supply of Keith stories. This wore on the con man's nerves profusely, making Nick let out a few outbursts on their journey. Even though Ellis' never ending stories of his old friend annoyed the shit out of him, Nick had acquired an attachment to the 23 year old mechanic. Sure, his constant optimism clashed with Nick's cynical personality, but that's what drew the older man to Ellis. He had never met someone so upbeat about life, especially in a time where life could be taken at any moment.

"You gonna stare at him like that this whole way?" Rochelle whispered in Nick's ear. Turning to her, the man's green eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about?" He returned, sounding a bit annoyed. She smirked, nodding her head towards Ellis, who was excitedly gazing out of the helicopter window. Nick shrugged his shoulder to Rochelle's comment. "I wasn't staring at him." Nick simply said, an angry look plastered his face.

"Will yall stop fighting for once? Were here." An older dark skinned man broke the tension between the two and their scuffle. Looking out of the window, they realized Coach was right. Below the four survivors was a sea of white tents. Soilders could be seen walking about, all being heavily armed, ready for anything.

_**------ **_

Upon exiting the chopper, a plethora of soilders greeted the four survivors. One of the men yanked Ellis forward, jabbing a long metal needle into the boy's arm. "AH! What was that for?!" Ellis' hazel eyes glistened with tears as the man studied the scanner connected to the needle.

"He's clear." He confirmed to the other armed men as he stuck a band aid over the fresh wound on Ellis' forearm.

Afterwards, Rochelle, Nick and Coach were also checked for the mutated gene. All of them came up negative for the Green Flu, thankfully. Anyone who turned out positive for the illness was immediately shot on sight. The soldiers had handed them fresh clothing, and pointed the way to the showers. The teammates cleaned themselves up, then slipped on their new clothes which consisted of white T shirts and light blue sweat pants. Ellis stepped out, meeting his three friends. "These clothes are real comfy, huh guys?" He grinned as Rochelle smiled back.

"A lot better than wearin the same clothes for weeks..." She did have a point.

"Yea they're comfy, but a little low class for me Overalls." Nick announced smugly, making Coach roll his eyes. Ellis felt a blush run across his tan cheeks.

_'Hehe, Overalls.' _Ellis giggled mentally at this nickname. He didn't know why, but he adored it when Nick called him that. Suddenly, the loud speaker sounded above them. "Dinner is now being served." A male voice spoke through the intercom. The teams face's lit up.

"Oh thank God! Some decent food!" Coach cheered as they made their way to the mess hall tent. It was the biggest of all tents, able to house about 900 people. The four stood in line, idley chatting as they waited for their meal.

"Ellis?" A country voice called out from their far left, making them all turn. A man who seemed to be about the same age as Ellis stood a few feet away. His southern accent was almost as strong as the mechanic's. Short sandy blonde hair swept across his forehead. His skin was lightly tanned, and his body was well toned. The man's bright blue eyes were wide with what seemed to be astonishment as he stared at Ellis. They both wore the same white and blue hat, a tow truck pictured on the front.

"K-Keith?!" Ellis exclaimed, running to his long lost friend. "Jumpin' Jesus man! I thought I'd never see you again!" Ellis cried out, pulling the man into a tight embrace. The rest of Ellis' team couldn't believe it. They were certain that the man they had heard so many stories about was probably dead, but now, he stood right before them. Nick flustered with envy as Ellis brought the boy over. But for a reason he couldn't place...he was just flat out jealous.


	2. Overalls

**Holy shit...you guys rock! I can't believe how many reviews I've already gotten for this! Thanks to Satanic Mechanic, XxHarleyQuinnxX, DigitalFruitBomb, Frankensaurus, Shotty, Legendary Armor, brokenpassions, Desolate Passion, and xXxSoulKeeperxXx. Oh, and to Rin, yes I don't like the shortage of non-one shot EllisNick stories either! On a personal note, OMIGAWD DON'T YOU JUST LUV ELLISxNICK?! Lol. I know I do. (Oh, and if you haven't seen Ellis' face model yet, Jesy Mickenny, YOU NEED TO. * major drool* He's all preppy scene and totally hot.) It really irks me when my chapters are so short, as this one is and the last one, I really do hate short reads :/. Read & Review if you'd like :). I own nothing you recognize in this.**

"Guys! Can you believe it! It's Keith! Oh man, I been tellin' these guys alla 'bout you!" Ellis wore the most childish grin any of his teammates had ever seen. This irked Nick to every extent possible...Ellis had never smiled like that for the con man. The 23 year old seemed to be glowing as he introduced his long lost pal to his friends. "Keith, these'r my new friends, Rochelle, Coach an Nick! Man have I got some stories to tell yah 'bout them!" Ellis excitedly spoke, his voice eager with passion. Keith studied the survivors, especially Rochelle. A pondering look crossed his face. Then, all of the sudden, Keith smiled.

"I know you! You're that there news lady from Ohio! You 'ere down here a few weeks ago at Trinity!" He chuckled out, having a boyish charm about his tan face. His teeth were aligned perfectly, dimples sunk into his cheeks, and his crystal blue eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, much like Ellis'. Nick growled under his breath at Keith's adorable features. Ellis' counterpart smiled as he removed his hat to greet Rochelle. "Very nice to meet you, Mam." The blonde politely bowed, making Rochelle giggle at his chivalrous mannerisms. "Very nice to meet you too, Sir." Keith firmly shook Coach's gloved hand as he placed his cap back on his short, ruffled hair. "Well howdy Nick, it's nice to meet yah!" Keith gave a grin as he presented his extended hand to Nick. The con man gave him a sharp, dagger like stare. Nick's envy glowered as green as his eyes. Keith brought his hand back to his face, stroking the blonde stubble that caressed his jaw line. "Not a hand shake man? That's alright! This reminds me of that one time when me 'n Ellis met this guy..." The man beamed happily. The three teammates couldn't help but to groan. Who would've thought in a million years that Keith had Ellis stories?

**_------ _**

The group of five had sat down to eat their meal, and get to know Keith. They had learned the man was 22, and also had the same love for horses and Jimmy Gibbons Jr. as Ellis did. After the outbreak had occurred in Savannah, Ellis and Keith had become separated. Keith told the other survivors how he had stayed in Georgia the entire time of the infection. He said, "Waitin' it outs the best thang ta do!" Aside from that, countless stories upon stories were told of Keith and Ellis' childhood, adulthood, and everything in between. Nick sat, slumped over in the stiff plastic chair. His fork sifted through his food, as if he had become sick and lost his appetite. He now knew why he despised Keith so much. Ellis and him were so close, having what seemed to be a deep connection...and that's exactly what Nick wanted. The two mechanics could tell a story for literally any occasion. From wrestling gators, pissing in water balloons, and 'tryin' to get laid by yer girlfriend in the tunnel of love.' Having enough story telling for one night, the sleep ridden team rose from their seats and headed for the bunk assignments station. Approaching the white desk, a woman dressed in complete camouflage uniform sat, clipboard in her palms. Her brunette hair was pulled neatly back into a tight bun, a barret topping her head.

"Your number please?" She asked, her eyes staying glued to the clipboard.

"206." Ellis spoke as the woman flipped through the papers attached to the piece of wood. It seemed that hundreds of people were already in this safe zone. She scribbled on a small card and handed it to Ellis, who took it in his hands.

"You're in tent 365." The brunette spoke with no emotion, handing him some sleep wear and toiletries.

"What tent did you get Keith?" Ellis asked as soon as Keith received his paper.

"366! Were right next to each other!" He cheered, giving Ellis a high five. "Nick! What'd you get?" Keith questioned the older man as he walked up. Nick wondered why the man he hated so greatly was acting all buddy buddy with him.

"Um, I got 365." Nick's emerald eyes darted to Ellis as soon as he read this.

"Well butter me up! We're roomies Nick!" Ellis slung his arm around the gambling man, making his cheeks grow hot. God how Nick adored that southern drawl of his. "Imma head off to the tent now, wanna come with?" Ellis warmly asked Nick, who nodded in agreement. He had found himself becoming less irritated by the boy lately. He had even started acting...nice towards the younger man. As the two walked into their tent, they stopped in the entrance way to study it. It was very plain, not to their liking. The tent connected and covered the floor, in case it rained or snowed. There were two cots placed no more than a few feet apart. A small table stood on the other side of the tent, bare. It was very small, and Nick didn't approve.

"Well great. We get to live in this shitty place..." The con man plopped down on the dinky cot, finding it very comfortable compared to the safe room's hardwood floors. Ellis just smiled, as he always did, zipping up the large tent's opening.

"It sure is a heck of a lot better than sleepin' in them God forsaken safe rooms, right?" He said, walking over to his cot. Nick wondered if Ellis could read his mind. The southerner began to undress, slipping his stationary white T shirt over his head. Nick's heart lept to his throat as he stared at Ellis' rippiling back. His tan, caramel colored skin made Nick's pants get just the slightest bit tighter. He watched as Ellis' blue tribal tattoo seemed to dance as his toned arms moved. Dropping his pants, Ellis revealed he wore tight dark blue boxer briefs. Nick's mouth went dry as Ellis turned, exposing the rather large bulge in the front of his underwear. "Uh, Nick?" Ellis cocked his eyebrow at his older friend as he noticed his eyes staring at his lower body. Nick snapped to attention, finding himself the most embarrassed he'd ever been.

"Y-yeah kid?" Nick nervously stammered out, his jade eyes meeting Ellis' copper ones.

"Were you just-never mind. Imma get some shut eye." Ellis quickly pulled his sleep pants on and snuggled into his cot, throwing the blanket over his half naked body. _'Was Nick just checkin' me out? I coulda sworn the fella was starin' at my junk...I wonder if he was...' _Ellis thought to himself, his face flushing. "Nick?" Ellis called out, his back facing his friend. Complete darkness had now enveloped the tent, making the two friends blind.

"Yea Overalls?" The con man called back, sounding a mixture of uneasiness and boredom.

"G-goodnight." Ellis smirked, closing his eyes. Nick smiled to himself as well.

"Night Overalls." He bundled himself up under the warm covers and contently shut his eyes. He could have sworn he heard Ellis give a short, quick giggle. Nick's forest eyes wandered aimlessly in the pitch darkness, listening to Ellis' steady breathing as he slept. This calmed Nick. Sleeping in the safe room with Ellis, Coach and Rochelle was different from it just being him and Ellis. It was quieter, and softer...and the con man loved it. Then he wondered to himself: _'What in God's name is so fucking special about that Keith son of a bitch?' _Nick's eyebrows furrowed. It literally made him nauseous to think of the blonde, pretty boy redneck. Nick yearned to be the one Ellis dreamt of. Nick wanted so badly to wake up next to the sandy haired mechanic in the morning sunlight and kiss him softly. _Nick _**ached **to be the person that Ellis brightly spoke of, every time something reminded him of his gambling boyfriend. Why couldn't Ellis just see how much Nick admired him, without actually making Nick say a word.

Nick knew it was wrong...but he wished so desperatly that he, Rochelle and Coach had all been right.

_'Why didn't Keith just die?'_


	3. Problems

**This seems to be becoming my most popular story, and for that, I thank all of my reviewers! And who could blame you guys? EllisNick is sexy. So NELLIS FTW! :D I'm really starting to warm up to this story. And especially to Keith. :3 I might do some fan art of Keith so maybe it would be easier to picture him. But I don't know. We'll just have to see! Lol, anyway. Thanks again for all the incredibly sexy reviews people! :D well, I don't own anything you recognize in this story. Read, Enjoy, & review! Oh and, I don't know Ellis' real last name, so deal with what I give him :). (I think its a pretty dang adorable last name!) OH AND: i have done a drawing/sketch of Keith, on my deviantart if you wanna see it. EllisNickFTW my name on deviantart, lol. **

It had been about a week since the CEDA helicopter had dropped off the four friends at the safe zone in Savannah. All of the survivors were required to get a mental examination by the military psychologist. It was now 9:37 am, and the four friends were just sitting down to have a nice breakfast. "Ellis Gunthrie, badge number 206, report to block 23 immediately." The intercom rang through the entire safe zone. Ellis' head turned up from his scrambled eggs.

"Whadda yah suppose they want me for?" The southerner innocently wondered, his mouth half full of the yellow food.

"Block 23 is the psychologist's building. They're probably just giving you a mental examination, like the rest of us had sweetie." Rochelle gave Ellis a reassuring smile as she chewed her breakfast. The reporter always seemed to have a calming affect on her younger friend, but this time it didn't work. The mechanic had always been reserved when it came to doctors. Ellis apprehensively stood from his table, and began to walk from the mess hall to block 23. There were so many buildings, Ellis knew he wasn't finding his destination any time soon.

Back at the cafeteria, Rochelle and Coach ate their morning meal and chatted about nothing in particular, while Nick ate in silence. He hadn't been in the mood to make friendly conversation lately. Just as he thought he couldn't have been put into a worse mood, Keith happily trotted up, setting his plastic tray down. The usual grin was glued to his face. "Good mornin' Nick." The blonde southern boy pleasantly greeted the irritable con man.

"Hi." He simply grumbled as Keith claimed the seat next to him. Nick wondered if Keith was too warm hearted to realize he hated him with a passion, or if his sprightly disposition just blinded him completely.

"Where's Ellis? It's mighty strange of him to miss breakfast. I 'member this one time, Ellis spent the night at my house an' my mama made us the best breakfa-"

"WOULD YOU SERISOSLY JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP?! I'M SICK AND FUCKING TIRED OF YOU TELLING US YOUR GODDAMN STORIES YOU REDNECK SON OF A BITCH!" Nick's hands slammed to the table as he whipped his head towards Keith's direction. Keith could only stare, his teal eyes open wide. Rochelle, Coach and most of the other people around turned their attention to the distraught man.

"Now Nick, there aint no reason ta be usin' the Lord's name in vain like that! I aint done nothin' to yah now!" Keith calmly replied back at Nick, obviously offended. His hands were raised to the blustering man, signaling him to calm down. The gambler's face turned about ten different shades of red.

"YOU DID NOTHING?! YOU ONLY MAKE EVERY DAY OF MY FUCKING LIFE A LIVING HELL! I DON'T THINK I HAVE EVER MET SOMEONE AS ANNOYING AS YOU IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! FUCK YOU!" Nick bellowed out, basically exploding on Keith. The blue eyed man sat stiff with confusion as Nick grabbed his tray and stomped off.

"What'd I do?" Keith questioned as Rochelle and Coach shook their heads.

"It's always somethin' with him..." Coach announced, forking a piece of ham.

**_------_**

Meanwhile, Ellis had finally found his way to block 23. The humble man stepped up to the entrance, greeting an armed solider with a tip of his hat. Upon venturing inside, Ellis was called to the front desk. "Howdy mam. I'm Ellis Gunthrie...206." The mechanic nervously twiddled his fingers around the bill of his hat, which was now in his hands.

"Dr. Ackheart will see you momentarily. Please take a seat." The ginger haired woman clothed in a sharp suit directed Ellis to the waiting room. Stepping in, the tan mechanic took a seat next to a small child, about the age of 8. The child had a look of nervousness about his pale face. He seemed jittery, as he shook in his seat. Ellis decided he would try and cheer the kid up.

"Hey lil buddy, I'm Ellis. What's your name?" Ellis brightly asked, placing his palm on the boys back. Suddenly, the child's eyes grew enormous, his hands flying up to his ears.

"NO! NO! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE!" The young boy began to shriek, his brown eyes squeezed tightly shut. Ellis was too shocked to respond, his hand shooting back to his chest. Three camouflage clad men rushed from a back room, restraining the struggling boy. "THE LONG TONGUE TOOK MY MOMMY! DON'T LET IT TAKE ME! THE COUGHING MAN STOLE HER FROM ME! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" The child screamed between sobs, as one of the men stabbed his tiny arm with a needle. The child quickly fell limp as the men carried him away. Sitting in complete silence, Ellis' hazel eyes began to tear. _'the long tounge stole my mommy...the coughing man stole her from me...'_ Those words played through Ellis' mind over and over again.

"The boy's mother was killed by a smoker. Strangled her to death, then ate her body. All right in front of the child's eyes." An English voice spoke out. The office doors swung open to reveal a smartly dressed man. He was African-American, tall with mid-toned skin. He wore a sweater vest over a button down long sleeved shirt, and a pair of brown khakis. His voice was hinted with British accent. The man studied the Georgia native behind square, no rimmed glasses. Ellis stood, wiping his watery eyes as the man lead him into his office. Taking a seat on a small brown couch, Ellis looked about, not knowing what to make of the situation. "Now Ellis...tell me, what did you experience in the time that you and your friends were caught in the infection?" Dr. Ackheart asked sternly, settling in a large leather chair, with notepad and pen in hand. Ellis suddenly felt a strong feeling of happiness. It was story time! And this time, someone would actually listen!

_**------ **_

Nick sat in quietude on his cot, feet placed on the floor, and face in his hands. Even though thrashing out at the blonde hick felt great, there was still a huge gap in Nick's heart. He wanted Ellis to know how he felt, more than anything. But the problem was, Nick had just never been the open feelings kind of person...and didn't know how to tell his younger friend, that he was madly in love with him. "Nick?" A familiar voice broke the silence of the tent, making the con man's face leave his palms.

"What do you want now?" He glared with disgust at Keith, who had slipped into the makeshift living space. His face held a constrained look as he stared into Nick's hateful sage eyes.

"I-I jus' wanted to patch things up...maybe talk to yah some..." Keith shyly spoke, scratching his short golden hair under the bill of his hat. Nick felt an impulse to march over to the boy and slug him right across the mouth. Having his many rings' designs indented into the redneck's face would be the greatest accomplishment Nick had ever achieved. But, he restrained himself.

"What could you possibly want to talk to me about?" Nick still held a frown as he asked this. Moving a little closer, Keith removed his mechanic's hat, twisting it in his palms, a habit he and Ellis had picked up since they were young. Biting his lip for a moment, he sighed.

"Ellis."


	4. Nothing Else Matters

**I hope I get this story done by Christmas. By the rate I'm going, it looks like I will. Spicy & Sweet Chili Doritos kick major ass. O.o Okay, so I'm asking my readers: WRITE SOME ELLISNICK fan fiction please! There's like, a serious lack of new ellisnick stories and it bugs the crap outta me! Lol. So get on it! And when you do write one, PM me and tell me so I can come read your sexy writing skills! & I especially enjoy lemons... WINK. Which brings me to this point: I'm writing sort of an alternate part to this chapter. And it'll be a one shot THREESOME of NICK, ELLIS, AND KEITH for my pal DigitalFruitBomb! :) but anyway you know the drill: I don't own anything you even come close to recognizing in this story, but you can enjoy it anyway! I seem to be infatuated by eyes...I'm always talking about them in my story. Hm... & when Keith is talking, i misspelled can't for a reason.**

Nick's heart pounded strongly against his rib cage. Why had Keith suddenly wanted to talk about Ellis? Nick wondered if something had happened to his best friend. "Y-you wanna talk about Ellis?" The scam artist stuttered out as Keith nodded. A sense of seriousness had taken over the southerner's aurora, unlike his usual upbeat temperament.

"Can I sit?" He asked politely as Nick obliged, scooting over on his small trundle. Keith sat down softly, making the thin mattress sink slowly with the new weight. The blonde gave off a nervous vibe as he sat across from the man who detested him so greatly. An awkward silence drifted through the room for a few moments, as the two looked around aimlessly. Nick eyed the young man. He never really paid attention to the way he was dressed before. Instead of wearing the stationary clothing the army provided, Keith wore a dark green and blue plaid button down shirt, a wife beater underneath. The sleeves were rolled to just above his elbows, exposing his tattooed arms. His jeans were a faded blue, a hole exposing his knee.

_'Smart man.' _Nick thought. He must have been able to keep his belongings since he stayed in Savannah. Nick noticed small lettering on Keith's left wrist, but couldn't make it out from his point of view. "So um, why did you wanna talk about Ellis?" Nick finally questioned as the men's eyes met. Keith let out yet another sigh. It sounded like he needed to get something off of his chest. Keith fiddled with the bottom of his shirt, looking like he was about to throw up.

"Well, first off I know why you hate me Nick. Cause I'm so near to Ellis and stuff. And you may not know this, but it's 'cause me an' Ellis were...in love once...but not no more." Nick's heart skipped a beat, as Keith turned his wrist to him, exposing his tattoo.

**_'Ellis Forever'_**

The bold, cursive letters and small heart knocked the wind out of Nick. In love?! He hadn't even known that Ellis was actually gay! A hint of jealously tugged at his emotions as he watched the man opposite of him. Keith sighed as he continued. "Were jus' best friends now. And...I know the way you feel 'bout him. An' I don't blame you. You know how Ellis is, always talkin' his jaw off. Well, when it's jus' me an' him, he caint stop talkin' about you. He is real sweet on yah Nick. He done told me that a lot. And I know you hate me cause you think I'm takin' him away from you, when that's the damn near farthest thing from the truth. You gotta tell 'em how you feel man...cause he feels the same way 'bout you...and I don' wanna see them feelins you got for Ellis thrown away." Nick couldn't believe what he was hearing. It seemed to be to good to be true, and he thought that this might be a practical joke one of his teammates were trying to pull.

"Is this some kinda joke? Did Ellis set you up for this?" Was all the con man could muster up from his throat. Keith gave him a look of, _'How did I know you were gonna say something like that?'_

"No Nick! He really does feel that way, honest!" His accent reminded him of Ellis. Sweet, sweet Ellis.

"How do you know?" Nick, being his cynical self, questioned. He doubted any of this wondrous talk could be true. The blonde's mouth turned up in one corner, smirking at the older man. He placed his cap back on his scuffled hair.

"He's always tellin' me how nice you been to him lately. And he done told me how much he likes you...and he even said to me like this," Keith imitated Ellis with a puppy dog face. "I love the way his green eyes sparkle in tha sun. They jus' so damn pretty." Nick's cheeks were now a bright rosey color. He usualy didn't like people seeing him blush, but at this point, why did it matter, really? He was stuck in the middle of the _deep_ south with a redneck sitting in a tent with him, telling him another redneck thinks his eyes are pretty. And this was all going on while a zombie apocalypse was in effect. What really mattered anymore? Oh yea...Ellis.

"H-he really said that?" Nick brightened up a bit, which made Keith's mouth give a small smile.

"Yep. He caint stop talkin' 'bout them eyes. Ev'ryone used to tell me that Ellis would do nuthin' but talk about my smile, when we were datin'. He's jus' a warm hearted kinda guy...yah know, shows his emotions and whatnot." Keith explained as he gave himself a humorus snort.

_"Keith?"_

The two men turned instantaneously to see the southern boy himself, standing in the opening of the tent. A white lolly pop stick hung from his mouth.

"Well speak of the devil..." Keith chuckled to himself. The cot spontaneously rose as the blue eyed man stood. "We were uh...jus' gettin' to know each other...imma be goin' though. My stomach's rumblin' for some grits!" Keith smiled brightly at Ellis, taking him into an embrace.

"Uh, alright, bye Keith!" The sandy haired man grinned, waving to his best friend as he walked out of the zipper opening. "Now here I thought you 'n Keith didn't get along! What were yall talkin' about anyways?" Ellis walked over and stood in front of Nick, hands on his hips. Nick could have choked at his tent mates adorable expression.

"Um, nothin' really. Just gettin' to know him better. And where in God's name did you get that sucker?" Nick laughed, patting the cot. Ellis had an excited look spring onto his face. His weight was much greater than Keith's, as the bed creaked as he climbed on. Nick thought he must have been at least 165 pounds of pure, southern muscle.

"I got this from Dr. Ackerheart!" He joyously gave the small green candy a lick, causing Nick to shudder.

"I swear El, you're like a five year old that comprehends all the cuss words in the American language." The con man joked. Ellis busted out in hysterical laughter.

"You damn straight!" He laughed proudly, sticking the lolly pop back into his cheek. Nick watched the younger man's face scrunch in laughter. It was so cute. Nick felt anxious...he knew what he had to do. Nervously, Nick began.

"Um...Ellis?" Nick stuttered a little as Ellis' deep hazel eyes locked onto his.

"Yea Nick?" He innocently replied, sucking on his candy. The older man drew in a deep breath.

"Keith told me what you said...about my eyes." Nick fiddled with his shirt collar. Ellis' cheeks immediately began to glow a bright red. His mouth turned from a smile to an awkward frown in seconds.

"W-what all did he exactly tell you?" The mechanic was now the one stuttering.

"He told me...that you talk about me all the time. And that you are always telling him how pretty my eyes are. He said that...you're real 'sweet on me'." Nick nearly giggled the last three words out, but replaced the urdge with a soft smile. He spoke with an unusual tenderness to his voice, somewhat sounding like admiration. Ellis suddenly, for the first time in his life, was at a loss for words. The younger boy stopped sucking on his candy and pulled it from his mouth, now staring into Nick's face. A flush of fresh tears began to well in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry Nick! Please don't think less of me, I-I was jus' sayin'! Honest! Now you're gonna think I'm sum sorta fag er somethin' arnt yah?" Hot tears began to glide down Ellis' tan cheeks as his voice trembled. Unexpectedly, Ellis felt a sensation of warmth on his cheeks, and it wasn't his tears.

"If you're a fag, then this makes me an even bigger one, Overalls." Ellis' big brown eyes opened wide as Nick thrust his lips onto the southerner's mouth. The mechanic was frozen as Nick's soft lips pressed against his own. Fireworks were going off inside the two men's hearts. It felt as though a weight had been lifted from Nick's heart as he tasted Ellis for the first time. This kiss had felt like nothing the two had ever experienced before. Suddenly, Ellis softly shoved Nick off of his body and stared at him. The con man became bashful, thinking he had moved too fast.

"N-Nick, you like me?!" Ellis questioned, excitement dancing in his eyes. Nick blushed at how cute Ellis had looked.

"Well, yea. I just kissed you didn't I kid?" Nick smirked, sounding a bit cocky as he leaned against the metal backboard of the cot, his legs bent onto the bed. Ellis' eyebrow raised as he tossed his lolly pop into the tiny trashcan near the bed. He held the sly look on his face, which made Nick fluster.

"What are you lookin' at me like that for? You didn't like i-" The older man was cut off my Ellis crawling in between his legs, placing his plump lips onto Nick's. "Mhmm..." Nick let a small moan escape his lips as he shut his eyes. Ellis' palms wrapped around the back of his friend's neck, grasping for dear life. He could feel Nick's inquiring hands slip to his back, pulling him close. As if on cue, their lips parted, and Ellis' luxurious tongue slipped into Nick's mouth, caressing the older man's. "Mmm." Nick complied as their tongues danced together. Ellis felt his body sink into Nick's as the con man's lips left his and worked their way to the young mechanic's neck. Ellis took a fistful of the older man's hair and grinned in pure ecstasy. Nothing else around the two men mattered at his point. Not Coach, Rochelle, CEDA, Zombies...even _Keith_ didn't matter. As their lips crashed down onto each other once more, a firey passion was lit between them. Nick pulled away, smiling.

"Hm. Maybe this shitty little place won't be so bad after all, hmm Overalls?" Nick flashed Ellis a toothy grin as the young man laughed.

"Looks that way." Ellis gave a confident smirk. He swore he could have stared into those emerald eyes for hours as they gleamed, the sunlight seeping through the white tent reflecting off of them.


	5. When God Answers

**_While playing Left4Dead 2 today, I came up with a lot of ideas for this story. Which I will use. Warning, it might be really sad at points. But I promise that it'll be okay. Oh and another warning to younger readers, this chapter has VERY suggestive material. LOL. I am writing like, 3 stories at the same time right now and its kind of overwhelming me, so if you guys could cut me a little slack on the updates, that would be great. Plus I'm trying to write my junior research paper so...lol. Please don't stop reading though! You guys have made this my most popular story and I love you guys for it! I was reading a fanfic earlier that gave me an idea for this, so i hope you guys like it. I don't own Left4Dead 2 or anything related to it. Valve does. Enjoy please! :) LOVE, kimi li :3_ **

The two men kept their relationship a secret from their fellow companions. Well, besides Keith. He had some what set the two up, and for that, Nick didn't think the younger blonde was all too unbearable anymore. Every night, the mechanic would push his lightweight cot next to Nick's and they would hold each other. Some evenings, Nick would lay flat, letting Ellis' shirtless form drape over his, embracing one another in slumber. And on occasion, while the mood was fitting, the two men would make passionate love to each other. Ellis' deep caramel skin would glow beneath the tent's filtered moonlight as he elegantly rolled his hips which pinned Nick underneath the mechanic. Nick's ring adorned hands would grip his young roommate's waist, holding him in place as he gently thrusted inside of the brown eyed man. Quiet moans emerged from Ellis' sweet lips as they parted slowly, throwing his head back in ectasy. The younger man could feel Nick inside, his throbbing passion bursting at peak, and all he could find himself to do was stare. Stare into his beautiful emerald eyes as his climax reached. They shimmered through half closed eyelids as he gazed into the southerner's chocolate ones. Ellis would end up laying next to his lover, tracing meaningless circles upon his broad chest. Sometimes, the younger man would wander off into his own world and speak for hours, not realizing Nick had slipped unconscious a long time past. And some nights talking would never occur. Their lips would be occupied as they glided together, tongues exploring inside. And yet, when the nights came that Ellis would drift to sleep first, Nick would run his fingers through his boyfriend's sandy brown hair, as he thought deeply about life in general.

"Nick! Guess What?!" Ellis busted through the tent's flimsy opening, making the older man's body jolt in surprise.

"What?!" Nick snapped, as Ellis smiled on.

"They're makin' block 19 into a church! Ain't that great?" Ellis spoke with such enthusiasm, barley able to contain himself. Nick snorted.

"Church? Why did you think I be excited over that?" He questioned his boyfriend, who's face fell.

"Well, its church...don'cha wanna serve tha Good Lord?" Ellis' sounded humorously stereotypical redneck to Nick as he shrugged.

"I don't believe in that shit." He simlpy replied, leaning back onto the bed. It remained quiet for a few moments, until it was broken by Ellis' sniffles. Nick sighed, propping himself up on his left side. "What are you cryin' for?" The con mas asked, Ellis slowly walking to his cot. As he sat, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"I jus...really wanted you tah come with me..." Ellis suddenly put on an obvious puppy dog face, puckering his lower lip out. There was no way in hell Nick could have let him down with that look.

"Fine...I'll go..." Nick rolled his eyes as Ellis smiled brightly.

"Service starts in 30 minutes!" The southerner gleefully lept from his cot and began to dress himself in clean clothing. Nick stayed planted on his cot, thinking. How could he believe in God? How could anyone after what they had been through? After...what Nick wanted to forget. Nick firmly stood by his assessment: there was no God.

Nick felt absolutely alien as he walked through the church's white doors next to all four of his friends. The building was large, probably being the same size as the cafeteria. Coach symbolized the cross as they walked in, taking a seat in the front. Nick would rather be anywhere else, but when he glanced at Ellis through his perifials, he saw that the younger man was beaming with joy. Nick smirked as he leaned into his chair, the pastor walking onto stage. He was a clean cut fellow, bald with a small black soul patch below his lip. Dressed in a black and blue suit, he began.

"Hello fellow survirors. I am pastor Johnathan Emrose, and ill be teaching you how to live your life to the fullest in the mercy of God's loving hands." Nick's eyes rolled once more. As the crowd clapped enthusiastically. _'What a joke.' _he thought as pastor Emrose continued.

"Now, I know times like these are weary on the soul, but we've got to remember, God will always pull through for us!" The Godly man spoke fiercely.

"Amen!" Ellis shouted, earning another smirk from his boyfriend.

Later on, the pastor had asked everyone to bow their heads and pray for something personal. When Nick awkwardly was the only person that did not lower their head, Ellis pulled him down to his level. "Please jus' try it Nick...for me?" Ellis whispered, his brown eyes shut tight. Nick heaved a sigh and bent his head. Even though he was set sure this was a waste of time, Nick played along.

_'Dear um...God...' _Nick felt strange for a moment, as if a wave of heat at brushed over him. A random memory popped into his brain, as if on cue for the prayer. Nick's folded hand shook as his heart dropped to his stomach. _'P-please let me see her again.'_When all of the church goers head's rose, Nick felt relief. It was weird, what he had felt. It was a feeling he couldn't explain in the least bit. But he shook it off as he walked out of the building, the afternoon sun brightly shining. He, Ellis, Keith, Coach and Rochelle were making their way to the cafeteria when suddenly, a loud humming came from above. Everyone's heads turned up to see a giant black helicopter with CEDA printed in bold letters...the first they had seen in weeks.

"New survivors! C'mon Nick let's go see who they are!" Ellis excitedly grabbed his boyfriend's wrist as they ran to the gate, separating the helicopter landing pad from the safe zone. Nick had no intrest in seeing who unloaded from the air vehicle, so he leaned his back agaisnt the gate. He could still hear the voices of the people climbing from the vehicle.

"Name?" Ellis could hear one of the soldiers faintly ask as a woman stepped down from the helicopter's steps.

"Melissa Frontier." She coldly replied as they shoved testing the needle into her veins.

"Clear." The man spoke sternly, moving her along. A few more people had gotten off, but one was left. "Hi, what's your name?" The soldier spoke in a lighter tone, obviously to. A child. Ellis stared at the timid brown haired girl. Her lightly tanned skin glowed in the hot sun, contrasting against her light blue dress. The sun dress was spattered with blood and was ripped, but she seemed unharmed. The small girl looked about seven or eight, still being quite young. Ellis wondered how she had made it through the infection alive. The girl nervously glanced over at the chain link gate, locking eyes with Ellis. The mechanic's breath was taken away as she stared back with shining emerald eyes.

"J-Jenna Robinson..." the brunette child spoke, rubbing her arm awkwardly. Nick's eyes flew open at this, as he spun around. Ellis shifted back, confused.

"I thought yah didn' wanna see tha new survi-" Ellis began, but was cut off by Nick as his fingers intertwined with the fence.

"JENNA! JENNA!" Nick screamed as he shook the chain link. Ellis' face froze, thinking his lover had finally lost it. The CEDA man stuck the brave girl with the needle as she whipped her head around. Ellis watched her face twitch.

"D-Daddy?!"

Nick's eyes filled with tears as his body was taken over by the warm feeling once more. God...had answered his prayer.


	6. Cynical

_**My next installment to the Keith story (which I can say that im totally not proud of...i just was not in the mood for writing today...) ! yay! you guys have been more than awesome to me, i mean i cant believe how much yall like this story. Which brings me to this: I got my very first bad review on the story! Lol, even though what they said was put quite harshly, I didn't mind. And I appreciate that they liked the 4 previous chapters. But when I went to PM the reviewer, guess what? They weren't logged in! JOY! Haha, so I guess, if you guys don't mind, I'd like to address my feelings here. Linni: you can't see Ellis acting like that? I mean, I understand what your point with Nick, but Ellis? Really? And you think Nick wouldn't give a damn to see his own daughter? Wow that's horrible.D: And if this is such a terrible cliche, why haven't I seen this in any other story? Inform me on another one like this and ill agree with you. Left4Dead 2 and all of its characters belong to Vavle, and i own nothing. I also own nothing you recognize in this. :) Read & Review if you like...or apparently if you don't! :D**_

Nick pulled away from the chain link fence and sprinted towards the opening of the gate with all of his friends on his trail. Jenna ran also, he long brown hair flowing behind her in the cool summer wind. Reaching the open way, Nick came face to face with his baby girl.

"DADDY!" Jenna's voice squeaked with joy as Nick scooped her up by her underarms, clinging him to his body. They stood there for quite some time, just savoring the feeling of togetherness again. Ellis and the rest of the group stopped, gawking at the sight. Nick had never really given any of his friends a back story to his life, and even though Ellis knew about his ex wife, he had no idea he had a child. A beautiful child at that.

"Well I'll be damned..." Coach shook his head as he smirked. Nick held his daughter close, tears beginning to well in his eyes.

"Maybe that's why he was such an asshole before...he and Jenna were separated..." Rochelle tapped her chin, thinking in a motherly instinct. The group stood silent as Nick carried the green eyed girl over to them.

"Baby, these are Daddy's friends. Say hi." Jenna bashfully turned away, hiding her nervous face in Nick's shoulder. This made the con man chuckle. "Its okay Jenna, they're nice people..." He reassured her. Nick wondered how long it had been since Jenna had known a 'nice person'. Her grassy eyes peaked open as Rochelle was the first to greet her.

"Hello Jenna, I'm Rochelle." The dark skinned woman gave the girl a large smile, causing the child to turn forward with hesitation. She stared hard for a few moments, finally letting her gaze soften.

"Hi Rochelle." She smiled back. "Your hair is real pretty." Jenna complimented, stroking Rochelle's braided hair with her small hand. This made the news reporter giggle.

"Well Jenna, I can braid your hair sometime, if you'd like." Rochelle's voice was calm and soft, much unlike that of Yavonne, Nick's ex wife. This was such a surprise to Jenna.

"Okay!" She beamed, smiling at Rochelle. Jenna seemed to take a quick liking to Rochelle.

"And this is Coach." Nick introduced the big man, who shook the little girls hand.

"Hey there girl, I'm Coach." He smiled as Jenna greeted him with a nervous look. Then, there was Keith.

"Howdy lil lady! I'm Keith!" The blonde haired man rustled Jenna's scalp, making her laugh.

"You sound like a cowboy!" She giggled out, making everyone else laugh. Nick finally stepped up to the brunette redneck, his cheeks growing red.

"And this is Ellis sweetie." Jenna's bright eyes gleamed as she stared at Ellis with a strange feeling. An instant connection.

"Hi Ellis." Jenna glowed as Ellis' mouth sheepishly turned up.

"Hey there Jenna." He stared at the girl, who seemed to be studying him. Jenna's eyes felt like fire burning into Ellis' soul. A fiery passion to figure someone out, as if reading them like a book. The small girl nodded.

"I like you Ellis." She smiled.

**_------_**

After Jenna was issued her standard CEDA clothing, it was time Nick showed her where she'd be living. The delighted girl held an ear to ear smile on her face as she strolled down the pathway of tents. Ellis walked to her left, while Jenna held Nick's large hand tightly. Ellis watched the girl as they ventured to their living space. She was quite animated, her little feet skipping along with glee. Jenna radiated pure happiness, which gave Ellis the sensation to smirk. The mechanic thanked God that she wasn't a cynical bastard like her father, which also made Ellis leer. His boyfriend was a terrible person, and he could live with that. But he had never expected that Nick's child would be so much...alike to himself. Jenna pranced the entire way to the tent. Finally making their way to their destination, the trio walked in. To their surprise, a new cot had been made up, making Nick smile. At least those CEDA bastards paid attention once in a while. Jenna's eyes scampered about before turning to face her father, a confused look upon her freckled face.

"Why are those two beds put together Daddy?" The girl's examination of Nick and Ellis' bed arrangements made the southerner's face flush pink. Nick knew that he would have to face this sometime, why not get it over with now?

"Um, Jenna...Ellis is my...partner. And partners have to sleep close to each other to um...protect each other from the zombies." Nick offered this as Ellis gave a sigh of relief. Jenna's eyes rolled in a manner that said, '_you really think i'm buyin' that?' _Nick may have been able to deceit his way through a lot, but his daughter was a different story. She had never fell for his cons.

"So what if Ellis is your _boyfriend _Daddy? I like him!" Jenna flashed a smug look as she could tell by Ellis' face that she had hit the nail on the head. Nick even gave a short blush, chuckling awkwardly.

"Ehehe...I can't get anything past you huh?" He shrugged at Ellis as he stupidly smirked at his daughter. Shaking her head, she walked to Ellis, wrapping her meager arms around his waist line. At a loss for words, Ellis just smoothed the back of her long brown hair, smiling.

_**------**_

"She really likes you." Nick spoke softly into his boyfriend's ear.

"Yah think?" Ellis brightly questioned his boyfriend as they lazed next to one another on the pushed together cots. It had been quite a humid evening, so the two were stripped down to their boxers as they lay under their thin blue blanket. Nick grinned, kissing Ellis tenderly on his full lips.

"She's head over heels for you Overalls." Ellis' eyes seemed to glow with happiness. Contouring his palms to the shape of Nick's jaw line, he rested his forehead onto his lover's. It was perfect here, in this place. They had been trapped in this survivor's camp for over a month now, and couldn't see it any other way. Nick could barley believe that something so horrific could bring people so close together. Ellis snuggled his face into Nick's neck, giving a warm sensation through the con man's entire body. This was truly everything Nick seemed to want. He no longer desired the fast cars, the games, the cons, the shit load of money. All he cared for was here and now. Ellis and Jenna. Life and God. It was as if they were in a fairy tale, and the happy ending was alive and true.

A voice in the back of Nick's head cried out to him. His conscience told him this was all wrong. The feelings he was experiencing were fabricated. He was blinded by lust, his mind told him. He was blinded by serenity. And then, the loudest voice of all called out.

"It has to end sometime." Cynical grievously mutterd. "It all has to end."


	7. Getting Worse

**I am so sorry for keeping you guys waiting. I have so much going on right now; Junior Paper, work, school, vacation, etc. I traveled with the fam for Christmas break, and I couldn't bring my laptop. :( but anyway, I really hope you guys stay interested in the story...I think the ending will make it all worth it. Anyway, I can't believe this has over 50 reviews, you guys make my day! Please don't stop, yall are my inspiration! Read, Enjoy, & Review if you'd like! Valve owns Left4Dead2. I don't own anything else you may recognize in this either. Love yall, Kimi. Oh, and I'm sorry if this chapter is really short, I'm usuing my friend's computer and I'm not supposed to be on this site. Haha. **

It had been a week since Jenna had arrived at CEDA's surviror camp. Nick had been happier than he had been in months, and Ellis noticed this change. When the southerner had first met the con man, he was bitter; unforgiving. His harsh attitude annoyed, confused, and turned Ellis on. But now, he was friendly, and there was something about his turn in personality that his boyfriend enjoyed.

Nick's eyes stirred behind his eyelids, the bright, tent filtered sun peering through. Finaly opening them, the man brought himself to a sit, the thin blue blanket slipping from his rested body. Nick's vision drifted to his left, the regular presence of Ellis' company no longer with him. The cot was empty. Turning his head, he relized that Jenna's bed was vacant as well. Groggily bringing himself to his feet, Nick stretched his stiff joints. Today the tent felt particularly humid, so the gambler decided to get some air. Stepping outside of the tent's opening, Nick was instantly brushed with the cool breeze of the remaining days of summer. Running his fingers through his limp hair, the con man caught sight of Ellis and Jenna. The two sat together in the grassy opening near the showers, their eyes focused on their moving hands. They seemed to be coloring. "So lil miss Jenna...what's yer favortie animal?" Ellis spoke softly, attempting to get aquainted with the young girl. The southerner had always been wonderful with kids, which was not suprisng. Ellis was more in touch with his inner child than most children were. Jenna thoughtfully tapped her chin with the yellow crayon intertwined in her small fingers.

"I like monkeys!" She declared, smiling brightly at Ellis.

"Aw man me too! Me 'n my buddy Keith done went to the zoo one time an' he done snuck into the monkey cage! Man was it funny! Them thangs chased 'im around like there was no tommorow!" Ellis laughed slightly. Jenna grined, continuing to color her picture. "I like when you tell stories Ellis. They're funny!" Jenna's bright green eyes drfited over to Ellis' paper.

"Is that a horse?" She inquired, pointing to his coloring. Nodding, Ellis studied his crudley drawn art .

"Yea! They're my favorite! I love horses! Yer daddy done said he ate a horse b'fer!" Jenna's eyes windened.

"No way!" The two had a good laugh together. Jenna carried on with her coloring as Ellis watched. Finaly making out what her drawing was, Ellis felt a warmness in his heart emenated through his entire body. As her danity hands scribbled across the page, she created a scene of the camp. Squared tents lined the backround, and standing infront of them was Nick, holding hands with Jenna, who held Ellis'. A tiny heart was drawn over her head. At the top of the picture, written poorly, were two simple words that made Ellis choke back a tear filled laugh.

_My Family_"I like yer drawin'..." Ellis sniffled, leaning over Jenna. Dropping her crayon, the brown haired girl suddenly clasped her tiny hand in Ellis' large one. Her green eyes conected with his chocolate ones.

"I'm glad my daddy met you El...I really like you a lot." Smiling, Jenna rested her head on Ellis' broad shoulder. Nick stood from the tent and smiled wider than he had in a long while. Watching them for some time longer, Nick's happy expresion disappeared with thought. The scene was depressing, when it came down to it. There sat Ellis, the man he had met through the worst possible situation, and his small daughter, matching. Their clothing matched. Blue and white, blue and white. That's all anyone ever wore. The individuality that created beauty was stripped from the world. The only thing that seperated people from people was the numbered badges the survivors were forced to wear. It was wrong. Nick was certain that this was not the way God intended the world to turn out. He had created us in all different ways, and now...that aspect was gone.

The days were growing increasingly worse as summer came to an end. Suicides had become a common occurance amoung the camp members, mostly the younger people, between twenty and thirty. The only reason Nick knew of the situation was because Ellis had told him of it. And the only reason he had found out was because the military had recruited Keith, and he had access to inside information. The blonde was forced to wear a camoflouge uniform day in and day out. One evening, while the usual group sat with each other for lunch, the whooping sounds of blades rose above them. Suddenly, everyone's face seemed to lighten just a tad bit more. "New surviors? We haven't had those in months..." Rochelle pointed out as they all stood, walking out to the chainlink fence. Keith ran ahead to the landing dock. He was the new welcoming analyist. His friends watched as the giant helicopter landed, the blades slowing to a halt. Keith brought the needle out, and held it firmly in his palms. Sounds were coming from inside the vehicle. Loud, aggresive noises. The friends curiously examined the doors of the helicopter. Suddenly, they burst open, screams echoing from inside. The soilders took a step back in utter suprise as what seemed to be a teenager, no older than seventeen, stumbled from the copter. His skin was pale, a muted silver. His form bore malnutrition, pinkish drool stringing from his lip.

"He's infected!" A man bellowed out from the resuce vehicle, a woman running out after the teenage boy.

"He's not infected! My boy's fine! Just sick is all! Please listen to me!" Obviously his mother, who yelled with fear thick in her voice. Keith stepped up to the boy and grabbed his skinny arm, jabbing the needle into it. His blue eyes widened as the scanner held the word, positive. Keith glanced up at the boy. His eyes were fogged over, a yellowish gray color.

"P-please...I'm not infec-" The young boy began to speak, but his words turned to gurggles, blood filling his dry mouth. He flinched, making himself cough. Dark red liquid spurted across Keith's face, some entering his mouth. Pulling back, Keith screamed.

"He's positive!" His voice was high as his hand wiped across his wet face, only spreading the blood across it like tribal paint. The boy dropped to his hands and knees, as he began to reguritate blood and vomit. Nicks hands quickly brought Jenna's face into his stomach as a soilder stepped up and cocked his shotgun.

"Please..." the teenager's head lifted. As soon as he did this, a merage of bullets came into contact with his face, blowing his brains back against the ground.

"NOOO!" The boy's mother sherieked, running to the now lifless teenage corpse. Holding him in her arms, she stroked his blood soaked hair. "MY BABY!!" She sobbed out as the soilders dragged her away. Keith stood, in shock. Tears pooled in Rochelle's eyes. The end was near, and they could all taste it in the air.


End file.
